Santa Barbara Blues
by protejerinnocencia
Summary: Morgan and Emily spend a weekend in Santa Barbara CA at a friend's beach house.  But it's not as relaxing as they would have hoped. [MorganxEmily]
1. Surf Sand and Sun

**Surf, Sand and Sun**

Headquarters was quiet as Emily grabbed her bag and jacket. She'd stayed late to get some paperwork done. She figured she was the only one still there when she heard footsteps approaching behind her. Emily spun around and came face-to-face with Morgan.

"Oh God, you scared me," Emily gasped, hand clutching at her chest.

"Sorry. I didn't know anyone else was here," Morgan commented.

"Yeah…neither did I," she sighed.

"Stay late often?" he asked as her breathing returned to normal.

"Sometimes. I just had a lot of paperwork to catch up on," she answered. He nodded and they started for the elevator. Morgan pressed the 'down' button and they waited.

"So what kept you here until all hours?" Emily asked as they waited.

"Honestly I was in the break room and I fell asleep. But don't going telling people that. Have to keep up my image," he said, smiling.

"I wouldn't dare tarnish all that is Derek Morgan," she teased as the doors dinged open. They stood in silence as the elevator descended to the ground floor. They headed for the parking garage when there was a 'beep' from the depths of Emily's bag. She stopped and reached her hand in, fumbling around until she pulled out her cell phone. She flipped it open to find a text message from her mother. She glanced over it and let out a groan.

"You ok?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah…my mother just bailed on something we were supposed to do this weekend," Emily muttered. Morgan gave her a sympathetic look as she tossed her phone back in her purse. They walked a few more paces without speaking when she turned to look at him.

"Do you have plans for this weekend?" Emily questioned.

"I don't know. Why?" he responded.

"Well some friends of my mother have a house in Santa Barbara. They're going away for the weekend and offered to let us stay," Emily began to explain.

"We were all set to go and my mother just got a new assignment tonight. So I don't really want to go by myself," she muttered.

"I don't know Emily," Morgan breathed. They stopped walking in the middle of the garage.

"Come on…some sun, sand and surf," Emily said, elbowing him in the arm.

"The last time I went on vacation with a co-worker…she got arrested for murder," Morgan said. Emily paled and her eyes bulged a little.

"She didn't do it," he said, cracking a smile.

"Of course I'll go with you," he murmured after a few seconds. He wrapped an arm around her and gave her shoulder a squeeze.

"When do we leave?" he asked as they finished the trek o their cars.

"Tomorrow at two," she answered.

"Alright…aren't giving me much warning," he teased as they reached her car.

"I really appreciate you coming with me," she sighed as she tossed her purse onto the passenger seat. Morgan took her hand in his and turned her around. She raised her eyebrow at him before he gave her a quick kiss.

"Want me to pick you up in the morning?" he offered.

"Sure," she said and climbed into her car. He shut the door for her and gave her wave as he walked over two cars and climbed in. They exchanged another wave as they sped out onto the main road.


	2. Leaving on a Jet PlaneMaybe

**Leaving on a Jet Plane…Maybe**

The following morning, Morgan raced around, trying to pack everything he could think of. He knew he should have done it when he got home the night before but he'd crashed. He checked the time and realized he was running later than he thought. He was about to close his suitcase when his cell began to ring.

"Morgan," he said, slightly out of breath.

"Hey, it's Prentiss. Everything ok?" Emily asked.

"Hey…yeah. I'm just running a little late. I'll be there in a few minutes," he said, trying to balance his phone on his shoulder and zip his suitcase at the same time.

"I'll see you soon," she said and ended the call. Morgan flipped his phone shut and tossed it on the table nearby so he could finish the last minute carry-on packing. Twenty minutes later he pulled up in front of Emily's apartment. He waved to her as she walked out to meet him, a suitcase trailing behind her.

"Morning sunshine," Morgan greeted. Emily cracked a small smile.

"Does Hotch know you're coming with me?" she asked as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"I didn't get a chance to call him yet," Morgan admitted as they stopped at a stop sign. Emily pulled her phone from her purse and hit the number '2' key. It rang a couple of times before the other end picked up.

"Hotchner,' Hotch answered.

"Hotch…it's Prentiss," Emily replied.

"Shouldn't you be on your way to the airport?" he asked. At the BAU he was herding the rest of the team into the conference room.

"I am, Sir. I just wanted to let you know that Morgan is with me. My mother cancelled on me last minute and…" she began to explain.

"Alright. Have a safe flight. Enjoy yourselves," Hotch said and hung up. He looked over at the rest of the team.

"We're going to be shorthanded the next few days. Morgan and Prentiss are in California for the weekend," he explained.

"Lucky them. Nice warm, sunny beaches while we're stuck here staring at mutilated bodies," Garcia sighed.

Back on the road, Morgan slowed at the on ramp. Neither he nor Emily said anything for a while. He didn't even dare to touch the radio dial. He didn't want to disturb the quiet. They cruised along the highway until they reached the parking for Ronald Reagan National Airport.

"Ready?" he asked as he cut the ignition.

"Let's go," she said with a smile. The pair climbed out of the car and grabbed their bags.

"My mother called and transferred her ticket to you," Emily murmured as they walked in and got in line.

"Good because that's the only way they're letting me on that plane," he teased. Em just swatted his shoulder as they inched towards the ticket counter. Some twenty minutes later they'd reached the counter and received their tickets.

"Security is down that hall and to your right," the woman said, pointing to a long hallway to her left.

"Thank you," Derek said and grabbed Emily's carryon before she could.

"I can take it," she said as they situated themselves in yet another line.

"A guy tries to be polite and you complain. I can't figure you out, Emily," he said with a chuckle.

"This coming from the man who felt it necessary to spin me around in the middle of a bridge," she replied. She couldn't help but smile.

"You liked it," he teased, reaching out to take her hand in his.

"Next," the guard called. Morgan and Emily pulled out their licenses and tickets for him to check.

"Bags through the machine. Shoes off," he instructed.

"I can't remember the last time I flew anywhere on a commercial flight," Morgan muttered as they pushed their bags through.

"Yeah…the jet is definitely more convenient," Emily agreed as the guard on the other side of the magnetometer waved her through. She passed through without setting it off. She was about to reach for her shoes and bag when one of the techs stopped her.

"Ma'am, is this your bag?" he asked and she nodded.

"Could you please step to the side," he asked. She did so. Not two minutes later, both she and Morgan were being led down a long hallway.

"What the hell is going on?" Emily hissed in Morgan's ear. He just shrugged. Before either of them could say another word they were separated and taken to interrogation rooms.

"What the hell is going on here?" Emily demanded once the guard had shut the door.

"You recognize this?" he asked, sliding her gun across the table to her.

"Yes," she replied.

"You think you could have gotten on to a plane with that?" he spat. She looked to the gun and then back to the guard.

"You've got to be kidding," she grumbled, reaching for her pocket. His hand reached for his own service weapon.

"I'm just reaching for my wallet," she assured him. She pulled it out and opened it.

"I'm FBI," she said, pushing the badge to him. He picked it up and examined it.

"Why not just carry it on your person then, Ma'am?" he asked, seeming more relaxed now.

"Because I'm going on vacation and I didn't think I needed to scare people," she shot.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Agent Prentiss. Next time…just show us your badge before you go through," he said and stood up. She took her badge back and shoved it in her pocket and picked up the gun.

"The guy that was with me, he's FBI as well. Supervisory Special Agent Derek Morgan," she said as the guard began to lead her back to the terminal.

"I'll let them know,' the guard muttered and turned back around. Back down the hallway, Morgan was receiving the same treatment Emily had.

"So, Sir. You travel often?" the guard asked.

"Yeah. So what," Morgan answered, arms crossed over his chest.

"Fly out of DC a lot?" he probed.

"Not usually," Derek muttered.

"How'd you think you were going to get past us with this?" he shot, slamming the gun down on the table.

"Hey man. Whatever tactics you're trying to use, it's not going to work," Derek shot back and stood.

"Sit down," the guard ordered.

"You want to know if that's my gun…yes. It's my gun. I'm with the Bureau, man," Derek spat, tossing his badge on the table. The guard picked it up and opened it. He seemed to take forever examining it. Just as he was about to speak there was a knock on the door and the guard who had interviewed Emily stuck his head in.

"He's FBI. They're going on vacation," the first guard explained.

"Sorry for the misunderstanding Agent," he apologized. Morgan just grabbed his gun and badge and stormed out.

"Hey, you ok?" Emily asked when she spotted him.

"This is why I don't fly commercial," he grumbled as they picked up their bags.

"We should have used our badges. Would have avoided the whole thing," Emily sighed as they headed down the long stretch of gates.

"Sometimes, we just want to blend in," Derek grumbled.

"I know, Derek. Believe me. But I'm sure we'll be laughing about it next week," he sid, spotting 2 seats in their gate. Morgan nodded and slumped into the chair.

"What do you say we go dancing tonight," he suggested.

"Dancing? I don't know…I've seen you dance," Emily laughed.

"All the girls love me," he said with a smirk.

"How will I keep them away," she chuckled.

"I only got moves for you tonight," he promised, leaning over and kissing her cheek.

"You better," she whispered. They fell into silence for a while. Morgan pulled out his headphones while Emily pulled out a stack of papers. It wasn't until she reached for her phone that Morgan noticed what she was looking at.

"Emily…what are you doing?" he asked.

"I had JJ fax me the new case file this morning," she answered. Derek reached over and took her phone.

"Vacation. It means no work. The team will be fine without us for a few days," he promised.

"I feel bad. We've left them seriously undermanned," Emily complained.

"They probably wish they were all going to California with us," he breathed. She reached for her phone but he wouldn't give it up.

"Ok, you win. No work," Emily sighed, shoving the papers back in her bag. As she zipped it back up, the announcement was made that the flight was ready to board.

"California, here we come," Derek said as they got in line to board. Ten minutes later they were buckling into their seats. Morgan looked around.

'Well it's definitely not the jet. But we'll manage," he joked.

"I forgot how little the seats are on these things," she stated, pulling down the tray table.

"Makes you appreciate what the government can give its employees," Derek mused.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Captain speaking. We're about ready for take off. We're first in the queue so we should be on the runway momentarily," the captain's voice came over the speaker system.


	3. Dancing Queen

**Dancing Queen**

The plane landed in Chicago and Morgan couldn't help but smile a bit. He knew they wouldn't have time to visit his Mom and sisters. Perhaps on the way the back. He looked over to see that Emily had fallen asleep. He nudged her shoulder and she jumped.

"Easy," he said.

"Where are we?" she asked, still disoriented.

"Just landed in Chicago. We've got a layover," he answered, unbuckling his seatbelt. She undid her belt as well and they stood in the cramped space, waiting for the other passengers to exit the plane. Neither spoke as they headed for the next gate.

"I definitely don't miss civilian flying," Morgan said, stretching his back.

"I hear you," she sighed.

"Hey I need to make a call," he said after a minute or two. She just nodded and reached into her bag. She couldn't help but browse the files JJ had given her. Morgan walked a fair distance away and pulled out his phone. He hit a few buttons before pressing 'send'. The phone on the other end rang a few times before someone picked up.

"Hello?" a female voice said.

"Mom. Hey, it's Derek," Morgan said.

"Hi honey," she replied.

"I was wondering what you were doing on Sunday? A friend and I are flying out to California for the weekend and we've got a layover in Chicago on the way back," Morgan explained.

"We'd love to see you," his mother answered. He could hear the smile in her voice.

"Alright then. I'll call you when we land on Sunday, Ma," he said and hung up. He headed back over to join Emily.

"Everything alright?" she asked. She'd put the case file away when she had seen him hang up from his call.

"Yeah. Just told my Mom we might stop by on Sunday," he answered.

"If that's ok with you," he added.

"Yeah it's fine," she murmured. It could be nice to see Derek's family under different circumstances. Morgan nodded his head and rested his hands in his lap. The pair sat in silence for a few minutes, both lost in their own thoughts.

"I was thinking. Maybe I'd give JJ a call and see…" Emily began but she was cut short.

"Emily, come on. No work. You promised. We're here to have a good time and get away from that," he begged, taking her hands in his. She gave him a pleading look.

"I just…I feel like I need to be doing something. I'm not goo at just relaxing," she admitted, looking him straight in the eye.

"Well we'll see if we can change that," he whispered. He dropped her hands and smiled at her before reaching for his headphones. Twenty minutes later they were boarding another flight. Morgan slid their bags into the overhead compartment and grabbed the window seat.

"I'll try not to fall asleep again," Emily laughed as she buckled her seatbelt.

"You missed the pretzels last time," he teased. She doubled over in laughter, earning her stares from the surrounding passengers. After a good fifteen minutes, the crew shut the cabin door and the plane taxied to the runway. Ten minutes after that they were making their ascent into the air. Derek looked over at Emily. She caught him staring.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he muttered.

"Oh come on. Just tell me," she prodded.

"Just…a while ago…Reid said something and…" he trailed off. She gave him a look to continue.

"You don't think…I'm not sending the wrong message am I?" he rambled. Why was this so damn hard? He never had problems talking to women.

"Depends on what message you're trying to send,' she answered. He was about to open his mouth to respond when held her hand up.

"But I think it's the right message," she continued, reaching out to squeeze his hand.

"Just so we're clear…I don't want to change you," she whispered. He raised an eyebrow.

"I talked to Reid too," she said with a smirk.

"That sneaky little bastard. First he distracts me so he can win and now he's going behind my back, trying to set me up," Morgan chuckled.

"I wouldn't complain if I were you," she snickered. They slipped into a comfortable silence for the duration of the flight, their hands still firmly clasped. They finally had to let go to unbuckle their seatbelts.

"Hey I have to stop at the bathroom," Emily muttered as they headed for baggage claim.

"I'll see you down there," he called and they parted ways. By the time she found the baggage claim area, Morgan had grabbed their bags. She grabbed her suitcase from hi and they headed out to hail a cab.

"You have the address?" he asked and she nodded.

Half an hour later they were pulling up to a large house about half a mile from the beach. Morgan let out a whistle as he handed the cab driver a wad of bills.

"Nice place," he commented as they headed up the front walk to the door.

"Wait until you see the view," Emily said, unlocking the door. They dropped their bags in the front hall and Emily gave him a quick tour.

"I could get used to this," he laughed as he sunk down onto the couch.

"I think I'm going to take a shower," Emily announced.

"I'll be here," Derek murmured, picking up the TV remote and flipping on the set. Emily grabbed her suitcase and headed for the bathroom. When she walked out of the bathroom she nearly had a heart attack. Derek was changing shirts and clutched the towel tightly to her.

"You scared me," she gasped as he turned around.

"Been doing that a lot lately," he said, walking towards her. She fixed him with a quizzical look.

"I know what you're thinking…it's not going to happen," she said, reaching for her bra and underwear.

"Come on, Emily. I think you know me better than that," he sighed. She just shook her head and headed back into the bathroom, reemerging minutes later in shorts and tank top.

"You hungry?" he asked from his position on the edge of the bed.

"Now that you mention it, yeah," she agreed.

"I'll go see if I can find something," Morgan offered and headed for the kitchen. Emily watched him walk away for a minute before going in search of her hair dryer. When she emerged a second time, a strong smell caught her attention. She wandered out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen.

"That smells really good," she said, leaning on the counter.

"Just something I whipped up," he said.

"Never knew Mr. Tough Guy was a cook," she sniggered.

"Never knew you were such a flirt either," he said, tossing a bit of pepper at her.

"Oh no you did not just do that," she gasped.

"Yeah…I did," he laughed. Emily reached for the nearest ingredient. She found some flour and sent it flying.

"You want to play dirty," he coughed. He picked up some flour of his own and began to chase her.

"No! I just took a shower!" she protested as he tackled her to the couch. She managed to keep most of herself flour-free. Without warning he leaned down and kissed her. She was a little taken by surprise but didn't pull away. Instead she wrapped her arms around his neck. He reached up the brush a lock of hair from her eyes when the shift in position sent them tumbling to the floor. Emily sat up and burst out laughing.

"Way to ruin the moment," she teased.

"Come here, you've got something right there," he said, getting a bit of flower in her hair. She brushed it out and smacked him on the arm. He wiped his hands on his pants and stood up, offering her his hand.

"Let's eat," he said and they sat down at the center island in the kitchen.

The afternoon passed by uneventfully. Emily dozed off with the TV on while Morgan flipped through a book he'd found on the bookshelf. Finally evening came and they headed out for a night on the town.

"Look at you," Morgan complimented as he held the door open for her on their way out. She was dressed in a rather revealing top and skirt.

"Nothing says sexy quite like FBI out on the town," she said with a smirk.

"Damn right," he replied.

After a lot of walking and getting turned around they found a decent looking club. They stepped in line with the crowd of people waiting to get in.

"ID," the bouncer said, extending his hand. Emily and Morgan shared a look as they reached for their wallets. Both handed over their badges. They didn't want a repeat of the airport. He nodded and let them through. As soon as they walked in they were hit with the thumping base of a rap song and the strong smell of alcohol.

"You ready?" he asked, indicating the dance floor.

"Oh…I think I need a drink…or three first," she laughed. With that they headed over to the bar.

Quite some time later, Morgan had managed to drag Emily out on the dance floor and was holding her rather close. The song ended and he spun her around to face him. She managed to wrap her arm around his neck before going spinning into some nearby onlookers.

"I think you're making them jealous," Morgan whispered.

"They should be," she answered. Morgan grinned. Emily was a lot more loose and relaxed when she'd had a few drinks. Then again, who wouldn't be more relaxed?

"How about another drink?' she called as another song started to blare through the speakers.

"I'm cutting you off. Don't need to be holding your head over a toilet at two in the morning," he shouted back.

"You saying I can't hold my liquor?" she called back. He took her by the hand and headed towards a spot farther away from the noise.

"No. But I don't want to be responsible if you do something stupid," he said. She looked a little taken aback.

"Sorry…I don't get to do this often," she apologized, looking down at her hands.

"Hey…don't apologize," he said, lifting her chin up with his index finger.

"Maybe we should head out," she suggested and he nodded his head in agreement. Close to half an hour later they walked back into the house. Emily tossed the keys and her purse on a nearby table. Morgan headed for the bathroom while Emily stripped out of her top and skirt and rummaged around for a night shirt. When Morgan reappeared, they both looked at the bed and back to each other.

"It's just a bed," Morgan stated, walking by her.

"I didn't say anything," she said and climbed under the covers. Morgan followed suit, rolling over to look at her.

"Wait until Reid hears about this," he mused.

"Who says Reid has to know," Emily whispered back. He gave a soft laugh and rolled back over.

"Night," he murmured.

"Night," she responded, both succumbing to the pull of their subconscious.


	4. Love Shack

**Love Shack**

The following morning, Emily rolled over and her heart nearly jumped out of her chest when she saw Morgan lying next to her. She must have let out a yelp because he opened his eyes.

"Hey," he said.

"We didn't…." she started.

"No," he answered.

"Thank God," she breathed.

"You weren't that drunk," he commented.

"I know…I just…sort of panicked," she admitted. He nodded and rested his arms behind his head.

"What should we do today?" he asked as Emily propped herself up on her elbow.

"Well you can't really come to California and not go to the beach…and we happen to have a beach right outside," Emily answered.

"Alright…and I suppose we'll have to shop?" he replied.

"Oh, you're bold. Admitting that you'll go shopping. You have no idea what you've just agreed to," she said, burying her face in his chest. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

An hour later, the pair was sitting out on the small balcony overlooking a stretch of sand and ocean. Both held cups of coffee despite the heat. They were both lost in their own thoughts. Emily took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"You ok?" Morgan asked, setting his cup down on the table.

"Yeah…it's just nice to…relax," she said with a smile.

"I told you," he said with a smile of his own. They both stood up and headed back inside.

"Come on. We have a full day ahead of us," Emily called, grabbing her purse and sunglasses.

"I get the feeling someone is a little excited to be on vacation," Morgan laughed, following her out of the house. Before they got very far, he caught her by the wrist and stopped her. They shared a brief kiss before continuing down the long boardwalk that led into town. They passed by several small shops without speaking. They just wandered, hands linked until a young man on a skateboard zoomed towards them. Morgan and Emily were able to dodge out of the way just in time.

"Watch we're you're going," Emily called.

"So where are we going?" Morgan asked. Emily looked around at the shops. She spotted a few of interest and grabbed his hand. They ended up in a antique store. Emily browsed the shelves meticulously, appearing to be on some kind of mission. Morgan, after realizing she'd forgotten he was there, wandered off to the back of the store. Some twenty minutes later they met back up at the register. Emily had several items including a handmade nativity scene and some wind chimes. Morgan raised an eyebrow at her as she made her purchases.

"Christmas presents for my mother," she answered as they walked out.

"Are we really doing your Christmas shopping right now?" he asked, taking the bag from her as she put her glasses back on.

"No. Now that I have that taken care of…it's all about me," she answered with a snicker.

"Oh…is it now?" he teased. He slipped his free hand around her waist as they continued down the walk. Not two yards along, Emily dragged him into a clothing store. Morgan spotted a rather revealing top and pulled it off the wrack

"You should definitely try this one," she said holding it up.

"Oh…no. Nice try," she said, looking a little frightened.

"It'd look hot," he pressed.

"And here I thought you were a mature adult," she teased, snatching the garment from his outstretched hands despite her better judgment.

"Hey…I'll make you a deal," he called, following her deeper into the store.

"You pick something out for me…I'll try it on…and you try that on," he explained.

"Alright," she said after a long pause. She looked around until she spotted an equally sexy top.

"Fair's fair," she said, handing it to him. He flashed her a grin and headed for the changing room. When he walked out she let out a whistle.

"Not bad," she commented. He checked himself out in the mirror for a minute.

"I may let you do all my shopping," he admitted, turning around, extending his hands for the bag from the other store.

"I was thinking…I could you know…shop around a little bit before I…" she began to protest but he cut her off.

"Emily…it's one shirt," he said. She let out a grumble but ducked into a changing room. When she reappeared, Morgan's jaw dropped. It accentuated her curves and showed off an excessive amount of cleavage.

"If you don't buy that. I may have to buy it for you," he whispered as she walked in front of the mirror.

"Would you get your mind out of the gutter," she snapped. He shook his head and walked up behind her.

"Beautiful women deserve beautiful things," he breathed. Emily blushed and averted her gaze.

"I don't know…I wouldn't really have any place to wear it…" she muttered.

"I could think of a few places," he snickered.

'Gutter…get out of it," she scolded.

"I'd pay to see you wear it to the office," he laughed.

"Yeah…that'd be great. Reid would probably faint and Hotch would have a heart attack. Just what we need," she replied.

"Ok, you win. Let's get out of here," he said. They left the store without any purchases. They spent the rest of the morning browsing some of the beach front vendors. By the time they got back to the house both were exhausted.

"Ok…I take it back. That's the last time I go shopping with you," Morgan said, setting the bags down in the corner of the bedroom.

"I warned you this morning," she said, stretching out across the bed.

"Yeah…you did. Hungry? I could fix us something," he offered.

"And get flour dumped on me again…no. I say we order in," she answered. He nodded his head and went in search of the phone.

Half an hour and twenty dollars later they were splitting a medium pizza. They sat side by side on the couch, the TV on in the background. The afternoon turned into evening and they headed outside for a little sunbathing. Emily was lying on the sand, enjoying the feeling of the sun on her skin when she opened her eyes. Morgan was standing directly in her sunlight.

"You're in my sun," she mumbled.

"Oh…am I?" he replied. She cracked a small smile and tried to push him out of the way when he just scooped her up and started sprinting towards the ocean.

"Derek put me down!" she shrieked but to no avail. They both landed hard in the salty water. When they resurfaced Emily splashed him.

"Ouch," he laughed.

"You deserved it," she replied, taking a couple of strokes towards him. He caught her around the waist and pulled her closer. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he leaned in and kissed her.

They stayed in the water a little while longer until the wind began to pick up and the sun started to set. Shortly they found themselves in dry clothes sitting on the balcony. Morgan had opened a bottle of wine. Emily was watching the sun sink beneath the horizon as Morgan poured more into her glass.

"I never realized how peaceful sunsets were," she murmured, picking up the glass. She stood up and leaned on the railing. Morgan watched her twisting the stem of the wine glass between her fingers for a moment before joining her. He slid an arm around her waist.

"I'm really glad you came," she breathed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Me too," Morgan murmured. They stood in silence for a while longer until he started to pepper kisses along her neck.

"Are you trying to seduce me, Agent Morgan?" she asked.

"Yes…yes I am," he replied. Morgan slipped both arms around her waist, his lips continuing to leave a wet trail along her neck. Emily felt a shiver run up her spines and Morgan pulled her closer. Emily managed to turn around and let their lips connect. As best he could Morgan led her back into the house and towards the bedroom. Emily broke free and looked at him.

"Do we really want to do this?" she asked.

"I do. You are an amazing woman, Emily," he answered, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. She blushed but nodded. She pulled her shirt over her head and let it fall to the ground. Morgan pulled off his shirt as well and slowly tackled her to the bed. Their lips reconnected and hands intertwined. He let his lips return to her neck as he used his free hand to try and undo her pants. Some time later they were moving as one. He rested his head against hers as they both found release. He rolled over and tried to catch his breath. Emily looked over at him, a broad grin plastered to her face.

"Wow," she gasped. He laughed a little and pulled the blanket over them.

"You're pretty amazing yourself," he said. Emily reached over and grabbed her underwear. Before she got very far putting them back on Morgan stole a kiss. She shimmied into her underwear and grabbed her night shirt as well. She could tell he was stealing a look or two as he grabbed his boxers.

Hours later Morgan woke to the sound of breaking glass. He looked over to see Emily still sound asleep. He shook her shoulder gently and she let out a grumble.

"Stay here," he hissed and climbed out of bed. He picked up his gun from the side table and inched towards the living room. He could hear muffled noises as he moved out of the bedroom. Emily had started to drift back to sleep when a shot rang out.


	5. In The End

**In The End**

The shot rang out through the whole house. Emily sat bolt upright and stumbled from the bed. Thinking quickly, she picked up her won gun and rushed towards the sound of the shot. She walked into the living room and groped for the light switch. When the lights flickered on, a gasp escaped her. Moran lay on the floor, one hand clutching his leg, the other trying to level his own weapon in the direction of the kitchen. She could see the pool of blood seeping into the carpet.

"Derek," she rasped, falling to her knees at his side.

"Where'd they go?" Morgan grunted. Emily took the gun from his hand. Gently, she took it and pressed it atop his other one on his leg.

"Just put pressure on it," she whispered, trying to regain her composure. Morgan was about to open his mouth when there was a noise in the kitchen. Emily was on her feet in seconds, gun leveled in front of her.

"Don't move," she called. Two figures turned around. One held a gun in their hand. Emily reached for the light and it blinded the two intruders. Emily's jaw dropped a little when her own vision cleared. They were just kids.

"Drop the weapon," she ordered, pointing at the young man to her left. He glanced at his companion and slowly put it down. Emily reached forward and picked it up.

"Look…we're sorry...please don't shoot us," the other boy said. Before Emily could respond, Morgan let out a groan of pain.

"Stay here," he spat and backed up. She found her purse and pulled out her cell phone. She flipped it open and dialed 9-1-1. It rang once or twice before someone picked up.

"9-1-1. please state your emergency," the woman on the other end said calmly.

"I need an ambulance and a squad car," Emily said.

"Please state your location Ma'am," the woman said. Emily took a breath, trying to keep herself calm as she gave the dispatch woman the address.

"Now Ma'am," the woman began.

"Agent Prentiss. My name is Agent Emily Prentiss. I have an agent down," Emily interrupted.

"Alright Agent Prentiss. An ambulance and officers are on their way," the dispatch responder stated. Emily knew she should stay on the line but she had other things to worry about. She hung up and bent down next to Morgan.

"They're on their way," she whispered.

"Can I get like a towel or something?" he asked, trying to smile. She nodded and headed back to the kitchen. She knew that a bath towel would be better but she needed to keep an eye on their intruders. She grabbed a dish towel and returned to Morgan's side.

"What the hell happened?" she asked, removing his hands and applying pressure to his leg.

"They broke in through the balcony door," Morgan answered.

"I went to go see what was going on. I don't think they expected anyone to be here…." He continued.

"Shh. Just breathe," she murmured. She could feel a tear slither down her cheek. She would have wiped it away but she didn't want release pressure from the wound. They just stared at each other for a minute before footsteps lurched behind them. Emily looked over her shoulder to see the two boys approaching.

"I told you not to move," she snapped.

"Em…take it easy," Morgan breathed.

"Derek, they broke in and shot you. Don't tell me to calm down," she spat.

"We swear…we thought some old lady lived. We didn't think anybody would be home," the boy who had had the gun rambled.

"We just wanted the stereo," the other boy added.

"So go buy one next time," Morgan grumbled just as the front door burst open and EMTs rushed in with a gurney.

"Agent Prentiss?" one of them asked. Emily nodded and stood up.

"Agent…shit man…you shot a fed!" one of the boys exclaimed.

"We're so screwed," the other one groaned as the cops walked in. Emily quickly briefed them on what had happened while the EMTs tried to get Derek onto the gurney.

"I don't need oxygen. I got hit in the leg," he protested.

"Excuse me," Emily said and walked over to the gurney.

"Stop being an ass and do what they tell you," she said firmly. The look on her face told him not to cross her right now.

"Yes, Ma'am," he murmured and pulled the mask over his nose and mouth.

"You going to ride with him?" the head EMT asked.

"Yeah. Just give me a minute," she answered. She rushed back into the bedroom and gathered up their clothes. She pulled on pants and tossed the rest in her carry on bag. When she returned they were wheeling Morgan out the front door. She'd made sure to also grab both of their badges.

A few hours later, a woman in a white lab coat appeared in the waiting area. Emily looked up when she motioned for her to follow. The doctor led Emily into a private room where Morgan lay.

"You're friend here is very lucky. The bullet only tore some muscles. With a little physical therapy and keeping the weight off for a few weeks he should be fine," she announced.

"Thank you," Emily said and waited for the doctor to leave.

"Some weekend huh?" he asked, patting the bed next to him. She sat down and squeezed his hand.

"Yeah….you should have woken me up," she muttered.

"I thought I could handle it," he replied.

"You want me to call Hotch and let him know?" she offered.

"That'd be great," he answered. She nodded and headed outside to make the call. The phone rang five or six times before the other end picked up.

"Hotchner," Hotch answered. It was clear he'd been sleeping.

"Hotch, it's Prentiss," Emily began.

"How's California?" he asked.

"It was fine up until these two idiot kids decided to break in," Emily answered, trying to mask her anxiety with a laugh.

"Are you and Morgan alright?" Hotch pressed.

"Yes…and no. Morgan got shot in the leg. He'll be fine but he's going to be out for a few weeks," she said as quickly as she could.

"Shot? Where were you?" Hotch demanded.

"It was the middle of the night. I had no idea what was going on, Sir," she shot back defensively.

"I heard shots fired and I went and investigated the situation. I handled it," she added.

"Are you going to make your flight back tomorrow?" he asked, not sounding pleased at all.

"I'll have to ask the doctor," Emily yawned. With that she hung up and returned to Morgan's room.

"Well he's not happy but he'll get over it," she grumbled.

"The doctor said we should still be able to make the flight tomorrow," Morgan whispered, stroking her hair.

"We still going to see your Mom?" she asked.

"Do you want to?" he replied.

"Yeah…I would," she sighed. She managed to curl up on the bed next to him, her head resting on his chest.

The following morning, local PD drove them back to the house to pick up the rest of their bags. Emily had called her mother and explained the situation.

"I feel bad leaving before the window is fixed," Emily admitted as they loaded the last of their bags into the cruiser.

"We'll give you a call as soon as it's fixed," one of the officers assured her. She gave him an appreciative smile as they climbed into the car. The ride to the airport was silent. Not even the crackle of the police radios seemed to intrude upon Emily and Morgan's thoughts.

"Have a safe trip," the officers called as Emily and Morgan headed for security. This time they had their badges in hand.

The flight to Chicago seemed shorter than the previous leg and Morgan was glad to be free of the cramped space. He'd called his mother and told her to meet them just outside security.

"Derek what happened?" she asked, seeing her son walking towards her on crutches.

"Ma, I'm fine," he promised, giving her a kiss.

"This is Emily," he introduced.

"Agent Prentiss. We met when…" Emily trailed off.

"It's nice to see you again," Mrs. Morgan said, pulling Emily into a hug.

"You too," Emily agreed.

"Well you two can't stay long. You have a flight to catch. Maybe you'd like to come spend Christmas at home, honey," she suggested, cupping Morgan's cheek in her hand.

"Maybe. We'd better get going. These guys are giving us the death glare," he said. He kissed his mother on the cheek and Emily exchanged another hug before they went back through security. As they took their seats on the second plane, Emily looked over at Morgan.

"You probably never want to go on vacation with me again," she mused.

"I'd go anywhere with you. You make things interesting. And come on…a little scar on my leg is better than being dragged out of bed and being accused of murder," he said with a smile.

"Only you could make that sound romantic," she laughed. He smiled broadly as the cabin door closed and the plane began to taxi towards the runway.


End file.
